Synthesis of Tetrasubstituted Enamines Using Secondary Amines and In Situ-Generated Allenes from Nitrocyclopropanes.

A novel reaction of cyclic and acyclic secondary amines with in situ-generated allene intermediate species from nitro-substituted donor-acceptor cyclopropanes is reported. In the presence of a simple inorganic base, NaOH, tetrasubstituted enamine derivatives can be obtained in moderate to excellent yields. The reaction is operationally easy, features mild reaction conditions and simple inorganic bases, and is free of transition metals.

Health service requirements of mHealth app users: evidence from Hangzhou, China.

PURPOSE: China's healthcare system is being burdened by the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases. Therefore, this study investigated the health service requirements of mobile health applications (mHealth apps) users in Hangzhou, China. This study aimed to propose suggestions and theoretical references to improve mHealth apps and promote their development, thereby meeting public medical and health needs and creating an efficient medical service system. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: We constructed a model of health service demands using a literature review, network survey, and semi-structured interviews. We analyzed the demand attributes using the Kano model and Better-Worse index and obtained the priority ranking of demands. FINDINGS: The results revealed 25 demand elements in four dimensions: must-be (M), one-dimensional (O), attractive (A), and indifferent (I) requirements. The findings suggest that mHealth app developers can optimize health services by categorizing and managing health services, focusing on middle-aged users, enhancing the professionalism of health service providers, and improving the feedback mechanism. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Studies on mHealth apps user demands, particularly on health service needs, remain scarce. This study employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative research techniques, to establish a priority ranking of user health service needs for mHealth apps. The study offers recommendations and theoretical references to optimize and improve mHealth app services. HIGHLIGHTS: Construct a better health service requirements model for mHealth app users.Obtain the prioritization of demand elements in the model.Propose some management suggestions to improve mHealth apps.

What are the key factors influencing scientific data sharing? A combined application of grounded theory and fuzzy-DEMATEL approach.

Scientific data sharing (SDS) has become essential for scientific progress, technological innovation and socioeconomic development. Identifying the key influencing factors of SDS can effectively promote SDS programmes and give full play to the critical role of scientific data. This study used grounded theory and information ecology theory to construct an SDS influencing factor model that encompassed five dimensions and 28 influencing factors and followed the fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (fuzzy-DEMATEL) approach to measure and analyse the degree of influence of each influencing factor and identify the key factors. The results show that (1) there are interactions and mutual interactions between the various influencing factors of SDS, which can form a complex network system. (2) 16 influencing factors, such as data-sharing policies, data-sharing regulations and data-sharing standards, comprise the key influencing factors in SDS. (3) The optimisation path of SDS is 'Scientific Researchers' → 'Scientific Data' → 'Policy Environment' → 'Research Organisations → 'Information Technologies'. In this regard, we proposed the following management suggestions to promote the development of SDS programmes in China: focusing on researchers' subjective willingness to share, enhancing the integrated governance of scientific data, fulfilling the role of policy support and guidance, strengthening the support of research organisations and improving SDS platforms with information technology.

Identification and validation of sialyltransferase ST3Gal5 in bladder cancer through bioinformatics and experimental analysis.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer (BLCA) is one of the top ten most common cancers in the world. Aberrant sialylation is a common feature in tumorigenesis and tumor immunity. This study seeks to explore the potential impact of sialyltransferase ST3Gal5 on BLCA. METHODS: Initially, glycosyltransferase-related DEGs (GRDEGs) were identified using multiple bioinformatics approaches in TCGA-BLCA cohort and validated using GEO databases. Clinical prognosis integration facilitated the determination of ST3Gal5 as an independent prognostic factor in BLCA, employing univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Immune cell infiltration was assessed via CIBERSORT and ssGSEA analyses, while HLA and immune checkpoint genes' levels, along with drug sensitivity, were evaluated in low- and high-ST3Gal5 groups. The TIDE and IPS scores were used to gauge the immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) response. Furthermore, functional experiments, both in vivo and in vitro, were conducted to elucidate the biological roles of ST3Gal5. RESULTS: In agreement with bioinformatics findings, ST3Gal5 expression was down-regulated in BLCA tissues and cells, correlating with poorer prognostic outcomes. The StromalScore, ImmuneScore, and ESTIMATEScore were significantly elevated in low-ST3Gal5 group. Moreover, the levels of HLA and immune checkpoint genes were upregulated in low-ST3Gal5 group. Down-regulated ST3Gal5 promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of BLCA cells in vivo and in vitro. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrated that low ST3Gal5 level promoted tumorigenesis and progression of BLCA, implying its potential as a predictive biomarker and therapeutic target.

Transformer fault diagnosis based on adversarial generative networks and deep stacked autoencoder.

Establishing a deep learning model for transformer fault diagnosis using transformer oil chromatogram data requires a large number of fault samples. The lack and imbalance of oil chromatogram data can lead to overfitting, lack of representativeness of the model, and unsatisfactory prediction results on test set data, making it difficult to accurately diagnose transformer faults. A conditional Wasserstein generative adversarial network with gradient penalty optimization (CWGAN-GP) is adopted in this paper, which based on gradient penalty optimization and expand the oil chromatography fault samples of 500 sets of transformer oil chromatography data with 5 types of faults. The proposed method is used to classify transformer faults using a deep autoencoder, and the sample quality of the neural network model proposed in this paper is compared with several other variants of generative adversarial neural network models. The research results show that after using the method proposed in this paper for sample expansion, the overall accuracy of fault diagnosis can reach 93.2 %, which is 4.98 % higher than the original imbalanced samples. Compared with other sample expansion methods, the accuracy of fault diagnosis of the algorithm in this paper is improved by 1.70 %-3.05 %.

Comparative transcriptional and co-expression network analysis of two upland cotton accessions with extreme phenotypic differences reveals molecular mechanisms of fiber development.

Introduction: Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is the main source of natural fiber in the global textile industry, and thus its fiber quality and yield are important parameters. In this study, comparative transcriptomics was used to analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs) due to its ability to effectively screen candidate genes during the developmental stages of cotton fiber. However, research using this method is limited, particularly on fiber development. The aim of this study was to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying the whole period of fiber development and the differences in transcriptional levels. Methods: Comparative transcriptomes are used to analyze transcriptome data and to screen for differentially expressed genes. STEM and WGCNA were used to screen for key genes involved in fiber development. qRT-PCR was performed to verify gene expression of selected DEGs and hub genes. Results: Two accessions of upland cotton with extreme phenotypic differences, namely EZ60 and ZR014121, were used to carry out RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on fiber samples from different fiber development stages. The results identified 704, 376, 141, 269, 761, and 586 genes that were upregulated, and 1,052, 476, 355, 259, 702, and 847 genes that were downregulated at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 days post anthesis, respectively. Similar expression patterns of DEGs were monitored using short time-series expression miner (STEM) analysis, and associated pathways of DEGs within profiles were investigated. In addition, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified five key modules in fiber development and screened 20 hub genes involved in the development of fibers. Discussion: Through the annotation of the genes, it was found that the excessive expression of resistance-related genes in the early fiber development stages affects the fiber yield, whereas the sustained expression of cell elongation-related genes is critical for long fibers. This study provides new information that can be used to improve fibers in newly developed upland cotton genotypes.

Protocatechuic aldehyde promotes the functional recovery of spinal cord injury by activating the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

CONTEXT/OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of protocatechuic aldehyde (PCA) in rats with spinal cord injury (SCI) and to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying its pharmacological effects. DESIGN: Male Sprague Dawley rat model of moderate spinal cord contusion were established. SETTING: Third-class first-class hospital. OUTCOME MEASURES: The Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scores and performance on the inclined plane test were evaluated. Histological analyses were performed via hematoxylin and eosin staining. Apoptosis in the spinal cord and neurons was detected by 5 terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling staining. Apoptotic factors (Bax, Bcl-2, and cleaved caspase-3) were also evaluated. INOS, IL-1ß, IL-10, TNF-α, Wnt-3α, ß-catenin, iBA-1, and NeuN were assessed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blotting (WB), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cell viability and the immunofluorescence of IL-1ß were measured in PC-12 cells. RESULTS: Using WB and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, we confirmed that PCA treatment activated the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling axis in vivo and in vitro. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and hindlimb motor functional evaluation revealed that treatment with PCA improved tissue protection and functional recovery via the Wnt/ß-catenin axis. The upregulation of TUNEL-positive cells, downregulation of neurons, elevated apoptosis-associated factors in rats, and increased apoptotic rates were observed in microglia and PC-12 after PCA application. Finally, PCA mitigated SCI-induced inflammation by targeting the Wnt/ß-catenin axis. CONCLUSION: This study provided preliminary evidence that PCA inhibits neuroinflammation and apoptosis through the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, thereby attenuating the secondary injury after SCI and promoting the regeneration of injured spinal tissues.

An Integrative Multi-Omics Analysis Based on Nomogram for Predicting Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis Incidence.

Background: The most common site of prostate cancer metastasis is bone tissue with many recent studies having conducted genomic and clinical research regarding bone metastatic prostate cancer. However, further work is needed to better define those patients that are at an elevated risk of such metastasis. Methods: SEER and TCGA databases were searched to develop a nomogram for predicting prostate cancer bone metastasis. Results: Herein, we leveraged the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to construct a predictive nomogram capable of readily and accurately predicted the odds of bone metastasis in prostate cancer patients. This nomogram was utilized to assign patients with prostate cancer included in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to cohorts at a high or low risk of bone metastasis (HRBM and LRBM, respectively). Comparisons of these LRBM and HRBM cohorts revealed marked differences in mutational landscapes between these patient cohorts, with increased frequencies of gene fusions, somatic copy number variations (CNVs), and single nucleotide variations (SNVs), particularly in the P53 gene, being evident in the HRBM cohort. We additionally identified lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs that were differentially expressed between these two patient cohorts and used them to construct a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. Moreover, three weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) modules were constructed from the results of these analyses, with KIF14, MYH7, and COL10A1 being identified as hub genes within these modules. We further found immune response activity levels in the HRBM cohort to be elevated relative to that in the LRBM cohort, with single sample gene enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) scores for the immune checkpoint signature being increased in HRBM patient samples relative to those from LRBM patients. Conclusion: We successfully developed a nomogram capable of readily detecting patients with prostate cancer at an elevated risk of bone metastasis.

UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase: genome-wide identification, expression and functional analyses in Gossypium hirsutum.

In this study, a total of 66 UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGP) (EC 2.7.7.9) genes were identified from the genomes of four cotton species, which are the members of Pfam glycosyltransferase family (PF01702) and catalyze the reaction between glucose-1-phosphate and UTP to produce UDPG. The analysis of evolutionary relationship, gene structure, and expression provides the basis for studies on function of UGP genes in cotton. The evolutionary tree and gene structure analysis revealed that the UGP gene family is evolutionarily conserved. Collinearity and Ka/Ks analysis indicated that amplification of UGP genes is due to repetitive crosstalk generating between new family genes, while being under strong selection pressure. The analysis of cis-acting elements exhibited that UGP genes play important role in cotton growth, development, abiotic and hormonal stresses. Six UGP genes that were highly expressed in cotton fiber at 15 DPA were screened by transcriptome data and qRT-PCR analysis. The addition of low concentrations of IAA and GA3 to ovule cultures revealed that energy efficiency promoted the development of ovules and fiber clusters, and qRT-PCR showed that expression of these six UGP genes was differentially increased. These results suggest that the UGP gene may play an important role in fiber development, and provides the opportunity to plant researchers to explore the mechanisms involve in fiber development in cotton.

The effect of mechanical force in genitourinary malignancies.

INTRODUCTION: Mechanical force is attributed to the formation of tumor blood vessels, influences cancer cell invasion and metastasis, and promotes reprogramming of the energy metabolism. Currently, therapy strategies for the tumor microenvironment are being developed progressively. The purpose of this article is to discuss the molecular mechanism, diagnosis, and treatment of mechanical force in urinary tract cancers and outline the medications used in the mechanical microenvironment. AREAS COVERED: This review covers the complex mechanical elements in the microenvironment of urinary system malignancies, focusing on mechanical molecular mechanisms for diagnosis and treatment. EXPERT OPINION: The classification of various mechanical forces, such as matrix stiffness, shear force, and other forces, is relatively straightforward. However, little is known about the molecular process of mechanical forces in urinary tract malignancies. Because mechanical therapy is still controversial, it is critical to understand the molecular basis of mechanical force before adding mechanical therapy solutions.

In situ generation of highly reactive allenes from nitrocyclopropanes: controllable synthesis of enynes and enesters.

A new and efficient strategy for ring-opening reactions of nitrocyclopropanes is developed for the first time for the divergent synthesis of enynes and enesters via in situ generated highly reactive electron-deficient intermediate allenes. Controllable approaches resulted in enynes and enesters with up to 89% and 90% yields, respectively. The reaction features easy operation, involves green solvents and simple inorganic bases, and is transition-metal free.

The Regulating Effect of Autophagy-Related MiRNAs in Kidney, Bladder, and Prostate Cancer.

Autophagy is a treatment target for many disorders, including cancer, and its specific role is becoming increasingly well known. In tumors, researchers pay attention to microribonucleic acids (miRNAs) with regulatory effects to develop more effective therapeutic drugs for autophagy and find new therapeutic targets. Various studies have shown that autophagy-related miRNAs play an irreplaceable role in different tumors, such as miR-495, miR-30, and miR-101. These miRNAs are associated with autophagy resistance in gastric cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and cervical cancer. In recent years, autophagy-related miRNAs have also been reported to play a role in autophagy in urinary system tumors. This article reviews the regulatory effects of autophagy-related miRNAs in kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer and provides new ideas for targeted therapy of the three major tumors of the urinary system.

Current Advance of Immune Evasion Mechanisms and Emerging Immunotherapies in Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma is a highly heterogeneous cancer group, and the complex microenvironment of the tumor provides appropriate immune evasion opportunities. The molecular mechanism of immune escape in renal cell carcinoma is currently a hot issue, focusing primarily on the major complex of histocompatibility, immunosuppressive cells, their secreted immunosuppressive cytokines, and apoptosis molecule signal transduction. Immunotherapy is the best treatment option for patients with metastatic or advanced renal cell carcinoma and combination immunotherapy based on a variety of principles has shown promising prospects. Comprehensive and in-depth knowledge of the molecular mechanism of immune escape in renal cell carcinoma is of vital importance for the clinical implementation of effective therapies. The goal of this review is to address research into the mechanisms of immune escape in renal cell carcinoma and the use of the latest immunotherapy. In addition, we are all looking forward to the latest frontiers of experimental combination immunotherapy.

Frequency-modulated continuous-wave laser ranging using low-duty-cycle signals for the applications of real-time super-resolved ranging.

A frequency-modulated continuous-wave laser ranging method using low-duty-cycle linear-frequency-modulated (LFM) signals is proposed. A spectrum consisting of a dense Kronecker comb is obtained so that the frequency of the beat signal can be measured with finer resolution. Since the dense comb is provided, super-resolved laser ranging can be achieved using a single-parametric frequency estimation method. Therefore, the run times of the estimation are reduced which promises real-time applications. A proof-of-concept experiment is carried out, in which an LFM signal with a bandwidth of 5 GHz and a duration of 1 µs is used. The duty-cycle of the LFM signal is 10%. The time delay of a scanning variable optical delay line is obtained in real time from the frequency of the highest comb tooth, of which the measurement resolution is 20 ps. Moreover, a single-parametric nonlinear least squares method is used to fit the envelope so that the time delay can be estimated with super-resolution. The standard deviation of the estimation displacements is 2.3 ps, which is 87 times finer than the bandwidth-limited resolution (200 ps). Therefore, the variation of the time delay can be precisely monitored. The proposed method may be used to achieve real-time high-resolution laser ranging with low-speed electronic devices.

The Roles of Glycans in Bladder Cancer.

Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of the urogenital system with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early diagnosis and personalized treatment are the keys to successful bladder cancer treatment. Due to high postoperative recurrence rates and poor prognosis, it is urgent to find suitable therapeutic targets and biomarkers. Glycans are one of the four biological macromolecules in the cells of an organism, along with proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Glycans play important roles in nascent peptide chain folding, protein processing, and translation, cell-to-cell adhesion, receptor-ligand recognition, and binding and cell signaling. Glycans are mainly divided into N-glycans, O-glycans, proteoglycans, and glycosphingolipids. The focus of this review is the discussion of glycans related to bladder cancer. Additionally, this review also addresses the clinical value of glycans in the diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer. Abnormal glycans are likely to be potential biomarkers for bladder cancer.

Intracoronary application of nicorandil regulates the inflammatory response induced by percutaneous coronary intervention.

Intracoronary application of nicorandil can effectively reduce the myocardial no-reflow (MNR) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We sought to investigate the mechanisms of nicorandil in preventing MNR, besides that of dilating the coronary microvasculature. A total of 60 patients undergoing PCI were enrolled and randomly divided into a nicorandil group and a control group. Before PCI, 2 mg of nicorandil or an equal volume of normal saline was injected into the coronary artery. Blood samples were collected before, 24 hours and 1 week after PCI and inflammatory cytokines were tested. In the control group, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines was significantly increased, while the anti-inflammatory cytokines were decreased 24 hours after PCI. In contrast, these changes were reversed in the nicorandil group, indicating that nicorandil regulated the inflammatory response induced by PCI. Then, proteomic analysis was performed to further elucidate the potential mechanisms. A total of 53 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were found 24 hours after PCI in the control group, and the changes of these relevant genes were reversed in the nicorandil group. These DEPs were significantly enriched in the inflammatory pathways. In conclusion, the intracoronary application of nicorandil before PCI can regulate the inflammatory responses induced by PCI, which might be an important mechanism of nicorandil in preventing MNR.

Extraction and isolation of the active ingredients of dandelion and its antifungal activity against Candida albicans.

In this study, six compounds were isolated and purified from dandelion, and only sample I exhibited notable antifungal effect on Candida albicans (CA). high­performance liquid chromatography­diode­array detector­electrospray ionization­tandem mass spectrometry analysis showed that sample I comprised 4­coumaric acid, ferulic acid, quercetin pentoside, 3,5­di­O­caffeoylquinic acid, 4,5­di­O­caffeoylquinic acid, luteolin, and two unknown compounds, at a relative percent composition of 11.45, 3.96, 10.48, 34.24, 3.91, 11.80, 3.65 and 4.21%, respectively. Further antimicrobial experiments showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration of sample I was 32.0 mg/ml, and sample I mainly acts on bacterial growth in the exponential phase of CA growth. Optical density and infrared analyses conclusively suggested that sample I damages the structure of CA cells, particularly the cell wall and cell membrane, resulting in macromolecule leakage of intracellular nucleic acids and cell metabolism disruption. In conclusion, dandelion sample I was reported to increase CA cell membrane permeability by affecting the glycosidic bond in ß­(1­3)­D glucan and destroying the cell wall, ultimately leading CA to death.

Enhanced removal of phosphate and ammonium by MgO-biochar composites with NH3·H2O hydrolysis pretreatment.

In this study, a novel MgO-biochar composite was generated for nutrient recovery from biogas slurry using magnesium chloride (MgCl2) and ammonia hydroxide (NH3·H2O). Biochar properties, including pH, CEC, pHpzc, magnesium content, surface area, and total pore volume (Vtotal), were evaluated. Moreover, the removal of NH4+ and PO43- in both single and bi-solute system were investigated. Results indicated that NH3·H2O pretreatment and MgO-coating enhanced biochar pH, CEC, and pHpzc. Additionally, there were generally higher surface area and Vtotal in MgAWS550. The maximum adsorption capacities for NH4+ and PO43-, respectively, increased as WS550 (0.555 and 1.57 mg g-1) < MgWS550 (15.4 and 21.8 mg g-1) < MgAWS550 (17.5 and 31.3 mg g-1). Moreover, higher removal efficiencies were achieved in the bi-solute system, and over 25% and 90% of NH4+ and PO43-, respectively, was removed from biogas slurry by MgASW550. Mechanically, NH4+ removal was mainly attributed to ionic exchange, while PO43- adsorption on MgO-coated biochars was due to electrostatic attraction and precipitation. Furthermore, the formation of struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) further enhanced N and P in the bi-solute system.

ST3Gal IV Mediates the Growth and Proliferation of Cervical Cancer Cells In Vitro and In Vivo Via the Notch/p21/CDKs Pathway.

ST3Gal IV is one of the principal sialyltransferases responsible for the biosynthesis of α2, 3-sialic acid to the termini N-glycans or O-glycans of glycoproteins and glycolipids. It has been reported that ST3Gal IV expression is associated with gastric carcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma and breast cancer. While the expression and functions of ST3Gal IV in cervical cancer are still poorly understood. In this study, we found that ST3Gal IV was downregulated in human cervical cancer tissues compared to normal cervix tissues, and ST3Gal IV expression was negatively associated with the pathological grade of cervical cancer. ST3Gal IV upregulation inhibited the growth and proliferation of cervical cancer HeLa and SiHa cells in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, ST3Gal IV overexpression enhanced the expression of several Notch pathway components such as Jagged1, Notch1, Hes1 and Hey1, while cell cycle protein expression like Cyclin D1, Cyclin E1, CDK2 and CDK4 were decreased. These results indicate that expression of ST3Gal IV is reduced in cervical cancer and plays a negative role in cell proliferation via Notch/p21/CDKs signaling pathway. Thus, sialyltransferase ST3Gal IV might be a target for the diagnosis and therapy of cervical cancer.

MicroRNA­124 improves functional recovery and suppresses Bax­dependent apoptosis in rats following spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) induces aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs), causing various secondary injury responses, including inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress. However, the mechanisms underlying miRNA­mediated apoptosis have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, a rat SCI model was established and a miRNA microarray was analyzed to detect miRNA expression profiles at different times post­SCI. The Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan score, cresyl violet staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl­-transferase­mediated dUTP nick end labeling staining were used to evaluate locomotor activity, lesion volume and neuronal cell apoptosis, respectively, at different time points post­SCI. It was observed that numerous miRNAs were altered at 14 days post­SCI and miR­124 was one of the most notably downregulated miRNAs. The present results demonstrated that overexpression of miR­124 by agomir­124 improves functional recovery, decreases lesion size and suppresses neuronal cell apoptosis in a rat SCI model. Luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR­124 inhibited apoptosis regulator BAX (Bax) expression, a key molecule in the activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, by targeting its 3'­untranslated region in BV­2 cells. Furthermore, restoration of Bax by pc­DNA­Bax inhibits the protective effect of miR­124 in H2O2­treated BV­2 cells. Notably, the present results demonstrated that miR­124 may block the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by inhibiting Bax, cleaved­caspase­9 and cleaved­caspase­3 expression in rats following SCI. Collectively, the present results suggested that miR­124 may improve functional recovery and supress neuronal cell apoptosis by blocking the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in SCI rats, suggesting that miR­124 may serve as a potential therapeutic target in SCI treatment.